Everything in the new Counter-Strike 2 armory update

Counter-Strike 2 has had a rocky couple of months. While its prequel CS:GO was universally loved by fans worldwide, Valve released Counter-Strike 2 with various changes. While the changes were meant to make the game mode accessible and immersive for fans, they ended up making things weird, especially with hit registration, optimization, and the overall feel of the game.

Now, fans have a whole new reason to be mad at Valve. CS2 came out with its new armory update in September 2024, which was supposed to introduce a new battle pass system that lets players acquire currency they can use to unlock exclusive content from the armory. While that all sounds well and dandy, a couple of issues with how Valve handled the whole update have left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.

Today, we’re here to go through everything to know about the new CS2 armory update, including what it is, what fans can get from it, and the general reactions fans have had. If you want to spend your money on something that actually improves your gameplay you can always hire a professional booster from Eloking. Don’t forget to use the code “BoostToday” for a 20% discount too.

Everything in the Armory Update

Valve has given Counter-Strike 2 fans “The Armory” in a new surprise update. While the update includes numerous cosmetic items for players, it also comes with prices and grinding that has become divisive among the Counter-Strike 2 community. One of the newest additions to this update is the inclusion of weapon charms, but besides that, there are new skins, map changes, and more, similar to an Operation.

The Armory Pass and Credits

The Armory Update in Counter-Strike 2 introduces a new battle pass system to the game called the Armory Pass, which players can purchase to obtain exclusive content. The pass costs $16, and players can buy up to five passes simultaneously to unlock items from multiple passes. When someone buys an Armory Pass, they’ll get Armory Credits, an in-game currency used to unlock exclusive items in The Armory.

The problem with the new Armory Pass is that earning credit is grindy. Players can get credits by completing in-game objectives and earning XP in official matchmaking servers. 

Skins and Collections

The Armory update includes over 100 fresh items in three new weapon collections, cases, and sticker capsules. Some highlights from the cosmetics are the Overpass 2024 collection, which has the AK-47 - B The Monster skin, inspired by the graffiti that’s on the map the collection is named after. Alongside this, the update introduces the Graphic and Sport & Field collections with more kinds of cosmetics that players can equip.

The new Counter-Strike 2 update also introduces a new case titled the Gallery Case, which has 17 new skins and the chance of getting the Kukri Knife. To open the Gallery Case, players must spend their credits to get it, and then buy a key. Valve also includes two new sticker capsules called the Elemental Craft and the Character Craft, which can be purchased using battle pass credits.

One of the most loved items in the Armory Update is the Heat Treated Desert Eagle skin, which players can obtain by spending 25 credits. This skin is similar to the Case Hardened designs, a fan favorite among the Counter-Strike 2 community.

Gun Charms

Despite Counter-Strike 2 having cosmetics for everything like weapon skins, character models, and gloves, it never had any gun charms until now. Valve’s competitive shooter finally joins the likes of Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant when it comes to gun charms. In the new Armory Update, the game has 33 charms players can equip on their weapons.

The gun charms are split between two collections. The first collection is titled The Missing Link, which has multiple agent skins in costumes. The other collection is titled the Small Arms collection, and as the name implies, it has miniature weapon models in different colors. 

Players can get the Armory Pass or buy them individually through the Steam Marketplace to get these charms. The Counter-Strike 2 community is unhappy that attaching or switching gun charms between weapons costs $0.99, unlike in Valorant or Rainbow Six Siege, where it's free.

Active Map Pool Changes

Besides just cosmetics, the Armory Update includes some in-game changes. The hostage map Italy is now playable in competition, increasing the total number of maps in the competitive map pool from 11 to 12, and joins Office in the Hostage Group.

While Italy has finally been added to the competitive map pool, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will join the Premier map pool or any esports events. This inclusion could suggest that Valve is adding the map to the competitive mode to make options more diverse for the part of the Counter-Strike 2 community that plays the game mode.

QoL updates

In addition to new content, Valve has included numerous quality-of-life updates in the patch. Animations, network issues, and bugs have been fixed to improve the gameplay experience. These new tweaks may not gain as much attention, but they're necessary to ensure the game remains smooth.

What was the community's reaction to the armory update?

The new Counter-Strike 2 update has received mixed reactions from the gaming community. Although the patch includes numerous new cosmetics like charms and changes to the competitive map pool, it is disappointing due to the extent of monetization it contains. 

Fans have been waiting for a new operation since early 2022, as the last one added to the game was Operation Riptide. Instead of Valve listening to the community's wishes, they released various items that ask fans for money at every step. Another problem is that unlike operations where players could progress steadily by playing, the Armory Pass requires people to grind a lot to advance.

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FAQs

Why did CS2 add a battle pass to the game?

Counter-Strike 2 is a free-to-play game, which means there’s no initial cost of playing it. While other free-to-play games use battle passes and other in-game cosmetic items to make a profit, many players go their entire lives without spending a single penny on CS2 save for the Prime upgrade.

With a Battle Pass, Valve likely hopes to give players an incentive to spend money on the game consistently. Almost every free-to-play game has a battle pass system, so it isn’t a surprise that Valve decided to finally add something like that too.

Is CS2 good?

This is a hard question to answer since good is a rather subjective term. However, when compared to the more successful CS:GO, CS2 is definitely considered a step down by most fans.

While CS2 is better than previous games in the series on paper, the overall feel of the game is just different. In addition to the initial tick rate change, many fans feel the movement of the game isn’t as smooth as it was in CS:GO. That doesn’t mean CS2 doesn’t have a massive player base though.